His Way
by Harlequin99
Summary: When Yelena is forced to give herself up to Cahil, and say goodbye to valek, no one expects what awaits her. When she is finally released, her memories are lost... What now? WARNING: very dark, scenes of rape. Co-Written with KaAaArL
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Y'all! This is a story I'm co-writing with KaAaArl, who's idea it was to write this story!**

**It has a 'sneak peek' of VPS, and we hope you enjoy it,**

**Please let us know what you think :)**

**And since I don't do enough of these as I should, DISCLAIMER: We do not own the characters in this story, they belong to the lovely Maria V Snyder, however much I want Valek :( we only own the plot :)**

**Harlequin** x

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

It had all happened so quickly, and without anyone noticing. Cahil had amassed an army and was threatening everyone I loved. His condition – that I marry him. I shuddered at the thought internally.

I was terrified and heart-broken as I walked down the aisle. All I could think about was losing Valek. A numb pain slashed through my chest and I fought against my desire to look to the back of the room to see if he was there. I had asked him to come, even if I knew it would just hurt me more for him to be here. For him to see me in someone else's arms – even if it wasn't by choice. I didn't bother to stop the flow of tears running down my cheeks. There was no point. Everybody in this room – including the groom knew that I was unhappy with my fate.

As Cahil pulled me up the steps in front of the minister, I choked back a sob. But when he forced me to my knees beside him, I was unable to do so. The sob broke loose, followed by another, and another, and another. Soon, I couldn't stop.

When Cahil scooped me up for the kiss, I recoiled. I couldn't let him. He had already taken everything from me. I wouldn't let him steal the kiss that sealed the marriage. But there was nothing I could do to stop him. When he released me, I looked around the room through my wet eyelashes. I saw him. He was standing right beside the door. Despite my current predicament, I found a way to smile. Valek had gifted me with his presence on the last day of my life as I knew it and that was enough to make me feel better. I thought back to our last day together.

_I knew it would be the last time I slept in his arms, the last time he ever held me. Maybe even the last time I saw him. Valek and I had spent the day together, just staying close. I was in his embrace the entire time. There was an emotion brewing within me that I was sure that I would never feel again. It was the feeling I got whenever I was near my beloved._

_That night, Valek held me in his arms, pulling me close. We didn't speak and that bothered me. I wanted to have his voice engraved into my mind. I needed to remember him, something to keep me going through the rough time ahead of me. After a long and unbearable silence, I finally said, "Valek."_

"_Mmm…" I felt him breath into my hair._

"_Are you sad?" I whispered._

_He didn't answer right away. Then he sighed and whispered back, "You're really leaving aren't you?" His eyes closed and he took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm sad. I don't want to lose you to the wannabe king. I don't want you to be with another. To tell you the truth, I' m rather selfish. I want you to myself. If I had it my way, you would never be out of my sight." Then, after a long pause, he continued. "Yelena, I want you to know something. I regret not asking for your hand. I regret waiting a year to tell you how I felt. And I regret not being able to do anything about Cahil. But more importantly, I regret not being with you every minute that we were apart. The thought of you with him makes me sick. I want so much to keep you safe, but nothing I do can change this." _

_He paused to gather his thoughts. "And I want you to know that I'll always be there for you – even when you leave. If you ever need help with anything, don't be afraid to come and ask for it. Whether it's a shoulder to cry on, a place to stay, a friend or even a loaf of bread to put on your table, you come to me. Understand?"_

_I was speechless. His kindness made the lump in my throat now impossible for me to speak. I smiled softly before pulling his face down to mine and kissing him with everything I had. Determined to show him how I felt. _

Right now, I was sitting in a carriage, riding with Cahil to his estate – or so he said. Suddenly, the ride stopped with a jolt. I flew forward in my seat. Cahil ignored me. He had been ignoring me ever since the carriage had left the wedding. My tears had finally run dry, but tearless sobs still shook my body every time I took a deeper breath. I was shaking with the effort to finally compose myself.

When we entered, Cahil told – no, scratch that, he _ordered _me – to get changed. Shoving a bundle of clothes at me, he pushed me into the small bathroom. After quickly locking the door with shaking hands, I leant against the door and took a deep breath. Hot tears began to stream down my face, despite crying my eyes out for hours before.

Looking back down at the clothes he had given me, I picked up the top garment, a dress, and held it out in front of me. The plain black material resembled a maid's outfit. It didn't surprise me that he had chosen me to wear this. Now that I'm his wife, I'm expected to wait on him hand and foot.

Reluctantly, I looked at myself in the mirror. As I had suspected, my face was blotchy and my eyes were puffy. Using the water pitcher next to the mirror, I splashed the cold water on my face, wishing it was all a dream I could wake up from.

A loud knocking at the door made me jump. I should have known that he wouldn't have given me much time. I contemplated staying in here, but he could easily knock the door down and I didn't want to face his wrath.

The thought of making him angry, made me quickly gather my wedding dress and open the door. Without saying a word, he grabbed my arm in a tight grip, and lead us through the maze of hallways until we reached a small room next to what I assumed was his. He unlocked the three locking mechanisms on the door before shoving me in the dark room.

Slamming the door shut, I held my breath until all three locks clicked. I collapsed on the floor as a new wave of tears flooded through my body. Sobbing into the soft material of the dress, I cried long into the night.

It's been over four months since I got here… I think. I rolled over on the wooden plank that was supposed to be my 'bed'. I winced at the pain in my side it caused. I fingered the tender bruise there. I had gotten it two days prior, when Cahil had lost his temper. I closed my eyes, but was unable to block the memory.

_The night of my wedding was the first time he had raped me. Now, I have lost count the number of times he has raped and abused me. You would have thought I would be used to it by now, after Reyad and now Cahil, but I wasn't. All I wanted was the tender caresses of Valek. Many times I had tried to imagine that it was Valek and not him, but no matter how hard I tried, it never worked. Valek's touch would never be rough. He always handled me as if I were made of glass. I had once believed that it was a normal thing, but now I knew that he didn't have to be that gentle – I was just very lucky to have someone that cared as much as he did._

_I lay on the bed, not caring what was going to happen to me now. I had no will left. The fiend had taken everything from me. I tried to breath but it hurt too much. Every touch from his hard hands made me feel dirty and empty inside – worse, it made me feel like I was betraying Valek. Every time he laid a hand on me, I was the guilty one. I was just Cahil's puppet. He pulled the strings, he controlled me. There was nothing I could do to stop him. _

_Closing my eyes, I waited for his shouting to stop. "Look at me!" he yelled at my face. Instead of obeying him, I closed my eyes tighter, unwilling to look at him as he abused me. _

_His hand connected with my cheek with such a force that my head was thrown back. _

"_You bitch," he roared, standing over me on the floor. His foot connected with my side. Hard. Tears slid down my cheeks before I could stop them. That was one of the things I learned here. Never let the pain show. "Guards," he shouted. Two men entered. "Take her away."_

_I was dumped onto the cold, hard floor of my tiny room. Then I was free to cry all I wanted._

Servant**  
**Walking into Yelena's room for the first and only time today, I was still shocked at the conditions she is forced to live in. Even though it has been a month since I have been ordered to give Yelena her daily ration of food – if you could call it that – I'm still disgusted every single time I walk into that small dark cupboard of a room. And to think that she's been living in there for a month, revolted me.

Every day, I give her a plate of two slices of hard and moldy bread and a glass of stale water. I couldn't believe that she was still alive after eating only that for a season's time.

And I'm not unaware to what Cahil does to her either, I heard the screams the first few nights, but now it's like she has given up hope. She was an empty shell of a woman, she doesn't even move when I enter the room. She flinches as the door opens and closes, and then she stays still as I place the food on the floor, never looking at me or saying anything. Sometimes I have even questioned her of being dead, but whenever I try to get near to check her pulse she shies away from me. I don't push her though, especially since I know what he puts her through every chance he gets.

But now I've had enough of this torture, I was going to help her whether it got me fired or not. I couldn't sit back and allow this to go on any further.

Walking into the room, I set a full plate of piping hot sweet cakes in front of her. She didn't look at me or even acknowledge my entrance of the room, let alone the new food in front of her. I quickly left the room to give her some privacy.

I remained beside the door, leaving it open a crack to see what she would do. What I saw sliced deep into my being. She was like a raving animal – looking around the small space cautiously before throwing herself at the food. It disappeared in mere seconds.

I knew then that I would do as much as I can to help her. I owed her that much.

Valek**  
**It has been four months since I had received my last letter from Yelena and I couldn't help but worry. Even though it took her a long time to write to me, it has never taken this long before. I wrote back to every one of them, even though I knew she most likely never even received the replies. It just made me feel better to give her an answer – unheard or not.

Throughout every day since I had received her first letter, I have been rereading them every chance I could get. I have them all memorized but I still read them again and again, bringing them to my face I close my eyes as I inhale her scent. Lavender. The smell always brought me back to when she broke into my office.

_Since I had assigned myself to Ambrose's side until Brazell and Mogkan leave, I hadn't been in my office all day. As soon as I let myself in, an overwhelming smell of Lavender hit me, Yelena. It didn't pass my mind that she would break into my office, searching for the antidote. Even though most of her predecessors don't possess the skills to pick locks, they all have the same intense interest in the whereabouts and recipe of their so called antidote. _

_After sitting down at my desk, and lighting a lantern, I briefly looked around the room. I couldn't see her anywhere, unsurprisingly. Strangely, I wasn't mad at her for sneaking into my office and looking through my files. I knew that she would never find the antidote to Butterfly's dust since the poison doesn't even exist in the first place. And since she will always think I had destroyed all information on the poison and the antidote, I knew that she would never suspect it was a ruse. _

_In fact, I was actually relieved that she had taken the obvious approach of searching my office for clues. Although I am very good at reading people and predicting their next move, Yelena has proven a puzzle to me. I never could predict what she was going to do next, and even if I did, I was never right. That's why I'd rather she follow the standard procedures of escape, rather than creating her own plan. _

_A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts._

_After dealing with the prisoner, I slid my chair back and placed my feet on my desk, stretching my arms behind my head I exhaled a loud yawn._

_I hoped that overhearing the conversation of giving him a new life would cause some reaction from Yelena. I decided it was time to let her know that I knew she had been there all along, "So Yelena, did you find our question interesting?" I asked her. _

_I waited a few seconds for her response, but I got none, I suppressed a smirk, did she really think that I was bluffing? "I know you're behind the table." _

_Her expression when she came out from her hiding place nearly made me lose my control. She looked like a child who just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. _

_I even considered faking anger with her, just to see her reaction. _

"_How did you…" she began before I interrupted her._

"_You favor lavender-scented soap, and I wouldn't be alive today if I couldn't determine when someone had picked my locks. Assassins love to ambush, leaving dead bodies behind mysteriously locked doors. Fun Stuff." I yawned again. I was more tired than I thought._

"_Your not angry?" see seemed surprised, I guess witnessing my anger before, and my reputation had made her expect me to be angry at breaking into my office instead of being relieved. _

"_No relieved actually. I wondered when you would search my office for the recipe to the antidote." _

_Her expression turned from shocked to angry. "Relieved? That I might try to escape? That I rifled through your papers? You're that confident that I won't succeed?" _

_I tilted my head to the side as I considered her words. "I'm relieved that you're following the standard steps of escaping, and not inventing a unique plan. If I know what you're doing, then I can anticipate your next move. If not, then I might miss something. Learning how to pick locks generally leads to this." I gestured around the room, indicating what she'd just done, breaking into my office to find the recipe. "But since the formula has not been written down and only I know it, I'm confident that you won't find it." _

_I hid my amusement as I noticed her hands balled into fists, I guess being told there is no hope of her escaping riled her even more. _

"_Okay, so there's no chance for escape. How about this?" she asked me. "You gave Tentil and new life, why not me?" _

_I was surprised that she had to ask me this. I thought the answer was fairly obvious. "How do you know I hadn't already?" I put my feet back on the floor and leaned forward in my seat. "Why do you think you were in the dungeon for almost a year? Was it only luck that you happened to be the next in line when Oscove died? Perhaps I was merely acting at our first meeting when I seemed so surprised that you were a woman." Which I was. I smirked internally._

"_What do you want Valek? Do you want me to give up trying? Be content with this poisoned life?" _

"_Do you really want to know?" I asked her as I stood up and stepped towards her. _

"_Yes." _

"_I want you… not as an unwilling servant, but as a loyal staff member. You're intelligent, quick thinking and becoming a decent fighter. I want you to be as dedicated as I am at keeping the Commander safe. Yes, It's a dangerous job, but on the other hand, one miscalculated somersault on the tightrope could break your neck. That's what I want. Will you be able to give it to me?" I asked her, I wanted nothing more for her to accept. "Besides, where would you go? You belong here." 'With me' I wanted to add. _

_I waited as she considered my offer, [while my heart pumped madly in my chest.] "I don't know," she said. "There's so much…" _

"_That you haven't told me?" I wanted to give her the opportunity to tell me of her past, but I knew that she wouldn't. _

"_Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder." I knew that from my own experiences. _

"_And my track record has been rather horrendous. A weakness of mine." I could tell that she regretted something in her past, but I didn't push it any further. _

"_No, a strength. Look at Ari and Janco. They appointed themselves your protectors, long before I assigned them. All because you stood up for them to the Commander, when their own Captain wouldn't. Think about what you have right now before you give me an answer. You have gained the Commander's and Maren's respect, and Ari and Janco's loyalty." _

"_What have I earned from you, Valek? Loyalty? Respect? Trust?" _

"_You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything." 'Including my heart.' I added in my thoughts._

Coming back to the present, I gently placed the letter on the desk, before putting my head in my hands. Rubbing my face roughly, I tried to forget the memories, since they hurt too much.

Many times before, I have had to say goodbye to Yelena. The hardest before this was to the Fire Warper, I had no idea when she was going to come back, if she was going to at all. The whole time I was an empty vessel. Now I feel exactly the same, only worse. Not only had I lost her, I had lost her to another man, the wannabe King, a man no better than Reyad. I stopped my thoughts as pure fury invaded my body. I couldn't believe I had let her go into a similar situation as to the one that haunted her past. I knew the truth that everyone chose to overlook. I knew that he would treat her like an animal. I knew that he would hurt her and I knew that she would suffer, but what hurt me the most was that there was nothing I could do about it.

Disgusted at myself, I let my head drop, banging against the side of the desk. The pain that shot through my body distracted me from my thoughts. Numbing me temporarily.

Yelena **  
**It has been four months since my last letter to Valek. But it's not that I wanted to stop. I wanted nothing more than to write to him, even if I was unsure whether he read them or if he even received them. Even with no replies, I still felt that little bit closer to him. Like he was still there for me to rely on, and to seek comfort with, just like he had said the night before I had left.

In every letter, I had told him not to come after me, I didn't want him getting hurt or worse, especially since he is the only thing that is keeping me alive. The hope and dreams that I can see him again, for him to hold me in his arms and tell me everything's alright, even if it isn't.

Three months ago, Cahil had discovered the secret letters I had been sending. All hell broke loose and I haven't seen the servant who had taken pity on my predicament since. I don't know what happened to her, I only hope that she lost only her job and nothing else. I had asked for full blame, I told Cahil how I ordered her to send the letters. Even though he didn't look like he believed me, he didn't miss the opportunity to torture me further.

The ice cold floor against my bare skin brought me back to the present. Standing above me, a cruel smirk spread across Cahil's face.

"We'll be starting with page two tonight."

* * *

**Please Please Please Review! We want to know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**And here it is, the second chapter of His Way, we hope you all enjoy it. **

**Another big thanks to KaAaArL for co-writing this story with me :D **

**Please review, there's still 40 minutes left of christmas, so it's not too late to give us a present ;) *hint hint* hehe =D **

**Thanks,**

**Harlequin & KaAaArL =D  
**

* * *

***four years later***

Yelena

"Cahil, please don't do this. I'll do anything. Please." No matter what I said or did, nothing would change his mind.

His last acts of torture broke both my arms and my legs, and a few ribs too. I had gotten no casts. I tried my best to heal on my own, but my bones set wrong, leaving me mangled and crippled. Leaving me unwanted and ugly, especially to Cahil. That's why he's throwing me out onto the streets. He doesn't want me anymore. He says I'm not as beautiful as I once was, even though he's the one that has left me this way.

Valek

A sound of a woman begging on the streets caught my attention. Normally, I would have shrugged the beggar's voice off and carried on walking, but ever since Yelena, I had taken notice of them. Ever since she had helped that boy Fisk, I've seen a different side to them. How willing they are to help you for money. And how good sources they are for information.

After all, everyone passes them by on the streets. They see everybody and hear a lot into conversations too. But that isn't just why I help them either. I generally want to help them get a better life, because they don't deserve to be left to survive on the streets. No one does.

She was holding up a cup with a crooked, shaking hand. Taking a gold coin out of my pocket, I tossed it into her cup. The clanging sound of the coin against metal rang loudly through the dark silence of the alley.

"Thank you, kind Sir," I heard a voice rasp out. Something in her voice made me certain that I had just given her first meal in a long time.

My heart lurched to a stop. I recognized that voice.

_No, it couldn't be._

Yelena had married Cahil four years ago. The last I heard from her is four months after he took her. Even though I had thought of her every minute in those four years, I had given up hope of ever seeing her again. Until now.

"Sir?" she seemed confused as to why I was still there, staring at her. "You can have it back," she whispered softly. She reached into her cup and held my coin out to me. But the regret showed clearly in her eyes. I was repulsed by the idea that someone could _take_ from someone who needed it so much

Snapping out of my trance, I said, "Keep it. It's for you." I nodded briefly to her before reluctantly walking away.

Hiding in the shadows of the alley, just a few feet from where she lay, I listened as she continued to beg to survive. Although she was in the shadows, too dark for me to see, I knew it was her. It had to be. No other voice affected me like hers did. No one made my heart stop like her.

I don't know how long I stood there, listening to her voice. But as silence took over the alley, the rustle of her thin blanket was heard. I walked away as she settled down for the night. I didn't want to leave her, but I knew I would pass this way tomorrow. It would be daylight then, and could offer her something better than a gold coin. And I would have the chance to see her beautiful face for the first time in four years.

The next morning, I walked towards the spot she had been sitting yesterday. This time though, she was struggling to get to her feet. She leaned on a wooden cane and pulled herself up, only to fall down again. Without hesitation, I walked towards her. I expected her to recognize me and her eyes to light up as they had when I had last seen her.

"Here, let me help you," I said quietly. I aided her in standing. That's when I saw it. The crooked bones, the scars, the dead film covering her eyes. I couldn't hold back a gasp. Cahil was going to suffer and die for this.

"Thank you, Sir," she whispered shyly and then looked away from my open gawk. I moved my gaze to her eyes and tried to get them to meet mine. But her eyes shut tightly, awkwardly trying to avert them from me. It was as if she didn't consider herself worthy of looking at me.

I decided on letting her figure out who I was on her own, hoping it won't take her too long. Instead I asked her, "Where are you heading?"

"Nowhere, Sir," she whispered.

I suddenly realized that she believed that I was here to stop or hurt her. Quickly, I tried to amend. "I was just wondering if I could, maybe, help you."

"No thank you, but it is kind of you to offer." She inclined her head in my direction, a sign of respect that was usually given to a superior. She began to limp away but I stopped her. Now I was done playing. It was time she was taken to safety after all these years.

"Yelena, I want to help you," I said without thinking. She paused and looked straight at me. She squinted, trying to decipher my identity. "Don't you recognize me Yelena?" I whispered, shock filling me.

"What did you call me?" she asked.

"Yelena… I called you by your name."

"How do you know my name? No one knows my name." She seemed honestly confused.

Then it hit me. She must have lost her memories. Shit. Now how was I going to help her? But before I jumped to conclusions, I decided to test my theory.

"Yelena, do you know how to spell your name?" I asked. She looked confused by my question, but shook her head in response. Her name was one thing, but surely she would have some memory of me. I loved her.

"Who are you?" she asked, definitively crushing my hopes.

I frowned. "Yelena, it's me. It's Valek. Don't you recognize me?" I said. My voice sounded desperate even to my own ears – I was begging her. Something I never do. But I was desperate for her to remember. She had to.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "No… I'm sorry. Am I supposed to?" she whispered uncertainly.

I didn't know how to answer to that. If I said yes, she would panic, but if I said no, she would take me for an idiot, for wasting time on her. I decided on just helping her for the time being. Then hopefully she would recall who I was. Ignoring her question, I said, "Do you need to get somewhere? Maybe I can help." My offer was genuine, but she still looked cautious. "I promise, I won't hurt you," I added softly.

"What are you talking about? I'm not scared."

I sighed. "I know what happened with Cahil, Yelena. I was there when you got married."

"You were?" she squeaked.

I decided not to dwell any longer on the subject and instead went back to the original conversation. "Do you have anywhere to go? Anywhere to stay? It looks like quite a storm is on the way." I glanced up at the deep purple clouds. As if on cue, raindrops started to pellet us.

"Yes," I heard I faint whisper and then Yelena turned and started limping away. I had always been able to decipher her lies, and even now, I could tell by the tone of her voice. I got a few odd glances cast my way as I stood in the middle of the street in the rain, but I didn't care about that. All I cared about was getting Yelena safe and dry.

Slowly, I started heading towards my safe house, but a cry rooted me to my spot. I turned on my heel, quick as lightning to see my beloved Yelena being dragged into a dark alley by a man. Without thinking, I moved quickly towards them.

"No, please, let go of me," I heard Yelena's screams. Furious, I pulled out my knife and went into assassin mode.

I walked casually behind them, holding the intimidating knife in my grasp. When the man noticed me, I warned him. "I suggest you let go of the lady before you have nothing left to hold on with." Terrified, he released Yelena, letting her slump to the ground and ran off into the rain. Instead of going after him though, I knelt beside Yelena. "Are you all right?" I asked, automatically checking her body for a pulse and looking for wounds. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found a steady pulse with my fingers, and she appeared unharmed. She didn't respond though and I realized the fall must have knocked her out.

I picked up her limp body and cradled it to my chest, shielding her from the downpour. With a quick step, I headed through the rain and to safety.

Yelena

I was laying back on something soft. I almost cried out in joy. I was dead. It was over. No more worries or problems. No more beatings from Cahil, or sitting in the cold streets begging for food or money. But then I opened my eyes and the same man as before was standing over me. I shied away from him. Why wouldn't he leave me alone? Who was he anyway?

"You're awake," he sighed in relief and I saw him reach out towards me. Automatically, I cringed away and closed my eyes waiting for the blow. Instead, I felt a cool cloth wipe the side of my face. It felt good. I leaned into the touch without consciously knowing it. "Feels good, doesn't it?" I heard a quiet voice. I nodded and let out a small sound of contentment.

"I have something for you," the man said again. Eagerly, I opened my eyes. This wasn't so bad; he wasn't hurting me or anything. A plate was placed under my nose. I looked at the piece of bread cautiously. It didn't look bad, but I didn't trust food anymore after Cahil.

"Go ahead, it's for you. Fresh from the bakery." Hesitantly, I reached out and picked up the thick slice of dough. To my amazement, it was hot. My mouth watered just thinking about it. I looked up at the man, silently asking for an okay to eat it. He nodded in approval. Slowly, I put took a first bite. It was amazing. The warm dough melted in my mouth and was delicious.

"Thank you, it's very good," I said shyly, still savouring.

"You're welcome. Do you feel better now? That was quite a fall." He looked worried and I couldn't understand why. I was just a beggar he had found on the streets.

"Yes, very much," I said. And then added softly, "Thank you for saving me, Sir..."

"Valek," he supplied.

"Sir… Valek." I suddenly looked around, wondering where we were.

"Just Valek," he said. And he must have noticed that I was looking around, because he added, "We're at my house."

Any trust for him I had felt before quickly fled my body. Horrid memories of Cahil flashed through my mind. I knew why he had brought me here. He's trying to act all chivalrous to gain my trust so he can torment me the same as Cahil.

I felt so naïve for beginning to trust him. What was I thinking? Of course they were all the same as Cahil. What more would Valek want with a crippled beggar? No one wanted them anyway. So no one would notice or even care if one went missing.

I quickly grasped my walking stick in my hand and tried to use my arms to pull myself up. The crippled twigs they had become trembled under the weight before my body fell back down onto his soft bed. It was my fifth attempt before Valek gently pushed me back down.

"You may have changed a lot, but I see you're still as stubborn." He smiled.

I glared back at him, having no idea what he was talking about. All I cared about was getting out of this mans house as soon as I could.

I woke up screaming. Cahil's cane was inches away from my body when a bright light invaded and my eyes shot open. Valek was kneeling next to the bed. His cold hand was on my forehead. "Shh… It's okay. It was only a dream. There's no one else here. He won't come back. He'll never hurt you again. I promise," he whispered softly. And I wanted to believe him. But I stopped myself. It was my stupid trust that had gotten me into this mess in the first place. But I couldn't resist leaning into his touch and letting my eyelids drop. I knew I was going to regret this dearly, but, for the time being, that didn't matter much.


	3. Chapter 3

So here it is... the next chapter of His Way... Sorry it's taken so long, but me and Karl hope you'll all enjoy it :)

The holidays are finally here! So we have more time to write [especially me since I always seem to be bogged down with college work :(] So well be uploading the next chapter of Monster in the Mirror and Small World very soon =D

Hope you enjoy it, Please review, and Happy Easter! :)

Harlequin and Karl :) x

* * *

Yelena

All was quiet when I woke up. Sunlight streamed in through the windows and lit the room brightly. My stomach rumbled and I chastised myself for accepting yesterday's food. It would only make my hunger worse. The man wasn't here, this was my way out. With a little struggling, I managed to sit up and look around the room for my walking stick, but something in my sights stopped me.

The door opened soundlessly and Valek walked in. He was carrying a tray of food. Fruits, cold meats, a hot drink, juice, sweet cakes… My mouth watered at the sight and smell of them. It was the kind of breakfast Cahil had each morning. Sometimes, when he was feeling generous, I was given a right to his leftovers. I hoped Valek felt generous—I would love to have a taste of the oranges. I watched him cross the room and place the tray on the desk. Then he turned to me. However, I kept my eyes on the food, keeping them away from him.

"Oh, good. You're awake. Are you hungry? I have breakfast," Valek said. He gestured to the tray. I felt my eyes widen. That couldn't all be for me?

"Yes, Sir," I said. I wasn't taking any chances and calling him by his first name. I've learnt from that mistake.

"Valek," he corrected me. Then he took the tray from the table and placed it on one of those bed tables that I remember Cahil had in his bedroom. He slid it towards me until it was right before me. "Dig in," he said and took a seat beside the bed.

It took more than a little struggling to fit all of my crooked, twig-like limbs into a close-to-comfortable position and then even more to figure out how to eat with my hands. Some of my fingers didn't bend and others had remained in a bent position and wouldn't unbend. By the time the first piece of meat had reached my mouth, at least ten minutes had passed. I felt self-conscious with Valek there, especially with him watching my every move.

I had eaten half of the meal when he spoke for the first time. "Can I see your hand?" he asked. I paused in my attempt to pick up a piece of the orange I had wanted from the beginning. My fingers were sticky and dripping with the sauces of the food. I awkwardly wiped them on my shirt before giving him my hand. He wiped my fingers clean with a soft napkin and then proceeded to analyze my fingers, wrist and arm.

His touch was delicate and feather-like as he handled my arm. He touched each of my fingers with one hand while rubbing circles in my palm with the thumb of other. It felt good. Little shivers of warmth traveled up my arm and to chest. Even though I should be alarmed by this man, whom I'd only known for a few days, touching my crippled hands in such a soft and—dare I say—loving way, I strangely felt comforted by his touches rather than repulsed and embarrassed. Ever since I had been on the outside, people looked repulsed by the mere sight of me. I was warmed by the fact that Valek wasn't.

When I had been in Cahil's possession, I was not permitted to leave the building. I had spent whatever amount of time he had kept me indoors. I remembered getting caught once looking out a window. I thought the green plants were pretty, and the little light I had been able to [catch? Get a hold of?] felt good on my skin. Cahil had beaten me for it, but I didn't regret my actions.

I focused my attention back on Valek, who was still looking at my hand attentively. I was a little shy at his attention, but I had to admit I liked it—just a little.

His gaze and touch moved to my wrist, analyzing each of the bones, spending more time on those of which had sealed crooked and impeded my movement. He bent my wrist, but I winced and he stopped short, going back to just watching my bones. He moved up my arm and sought out the bump under my skin caused by the bone that had grown back together wrong. The skin was pulled tight over it, but Valek's touch was so gentle it didn't hurt, I barely felt it. No one had ever touched me like that before.

He gave me back my arm, but I didn't move to eat. Instead, I stared at my arm. For the first time, someone had handled it and left it in the same condition it had been beforehand. No bruises, scratches or broken bones. I was amazed. Well… There had been one person. Somebody from _before_. I didn't remember them very well, but I knew they had been special to me. I sighed in regret. They wouldn't want me back. I was disgusting. A broken, helpless little figure that couldn't even move straight. I sighed and went back to my food.

It took me over an hour to eat. But Valek never protested or gave any sign of impatience. He just watched, without sighing or leaning back in his chair. I was grateful. I would have died of embarrassment if the man who had taken me in was to feel uncomfortable. It might make him rethink his decision. And although I shouldn't be so trusting of this man or any man as a matter of fact, I couldn't help but feel safe with him around. And I certainly didn't want to go back to sleeping on the streets and begging for money.

ooo

Days passed and I remained in the room. I was hesitant to move around because I was afraid that my benefactor would find it a gruesome process. Valek usually remained by my side, near the bed. He didn't hurt me and I was well fed and rested. Little conversation passed between us and I was rather grateful for it. During the past few years—at least I thought that was how long Cahil had kept me—my sole contact with others had been torture from Cahil and the silent and awkward dispensing of my daily ration of food by a servant. As a result, I had closed into myself. I hummed soft lullabies to myself when I wanted to sleep and spoke words of comfort to myself when the pain was worse than usual. Since there was no other being to give me the companionship I needed, I had resolved to do it myself.

The first night a soft tune escaped my lips, Valek had looked up in confusion. I lay motionless for a little while, feeling his intense gaze on me. Soon enough though, I shrugged off his worried looks and curled up, wrapping my arms around myself in a hug and rubbed my upper arms. I had longed for someone to hold me while I slept, but, since there was no one, I gave myself the hug that I yearned for.

As I turned onto my side that night and started humming, I was stunned to find an accompaniment. My eyes opened and I stared at Valek, falling silent. He sat in his chair and didn't even glance up from his book as the melody flowed from his slightly parted lips. I lay back down, but didn't continue humming. I didn't have to sing myself to sleep anymore. I wasn't all alone; someone else was with me. I closed and reveled in the sound of the soft tune that filled the air.

When I woke up in the morning, I was fully rested. But that was normal now. I was rested every day. I also took a bath every day, with the help of a female servant. That was nice. With Cahil, I would often just get a rinsing that left me shivering and dripping wet. Here, the bath water was steaming and smelled wonderful.

Valek walked in with breakfast when I was done washing up and dressing. This was customary though, he came in with food every morning. As usual, I ate in silence and he watched me. Something was different today though.

Valek spoke, "Do you want to go out today?"

I was at loss for words. What was I supposed to say? I had been analyzing how much longer I would be able to stay here and he goes and asks me what I want. I searched my head for something normal to say. "Huh?" I asked stupidly. _Great, Yelena. Real smart. _I chastised myself.

"I could take you to the market. Or just for a walk," he proposed.

And then I thought of something. I remembered the market being mentioned in Cahil's manor. A servant had gone to the market and gotten food. But that wasn't the important part. She had also gotten a dress. It was a very pretty dress. I had always wanted one like it, but Cahil wouldn't allow it. I knew it would be rude to just ask for a dress and I would probably get punished for being so bold, so I tried a different approach. Maybe he would let me try a dress on. "Are there dresses at the market?" I asked.

Valek POV

"Dresses?" I asked. Why would she ask me about dresses? Yelena had never liked dresses. "Of course. There are many different ones. We can go take a look if you want." I gave her a smile. She had changed. "I'll get you a glorious one."

Yelena's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What does that mean?" she asked, obviously embarrassed. "That word… glo…rious." She looked down, ashamed by her lack of knowledge. The Yelena I had known was farther gone than I had imagined.

"It means beautiful, pretty, the best," I said, using simple terms she would have no problem understanding.

"Oh…" she said. "But I would love to go to the market," she quickly amended. "If you don't mind taking me…"

"Great. Get dressed; I'll meet you downstairs." I smiled at her and stood to leave.

"Wait," she called after me. I turned back to look at her. "Can you…" she hesitated. "Can you help me get up?" Her cheeks darkened in embarrassment, and I knew it took her a lot of guts to ask me that.

I went back over to her and helped her get out of bed. "Thank you," she whispered when I sat her down on the edge of the bed. I looked around for her walking stick and handed it to her so that she could move around.

When Yelena came downstairs, my heart broke. She was wearing a skirt and her shirt had long sleeves. But that wasn't the reason for my sadness. Her hair had been messily braided down her back. Half of it was still loose and lay in clumps. It was quite obvious she had tried her best to look nice and it must have taken quite more than a little bit of struggling to get her hair up the way she had—even if it wasn't the best.

I wanted to help her, but I didn't know if she would be offended if I told her I had to fix her hair. "Can you go sit down over there?" I asked, pointing to a chair in the front room. "I'll be right back. I just have to get something." Yelena nodded and perched in the chair. I ran upstairs and found a hairbrush and ribbons. She would appreciate that I had noticed her efforts and helped her.

I stood behind her and let her hair down from the awkward arrangement she had attempted to force it into. "What are you doing?" Yelena asked.

"Doing your hair," I told her. Slowly, I started to brush the snarls of her hair. When it was smooth and to my liking, I took the top part of her hair and arranged it into two braids I joined in the middle of her head. The rest of her hair hung loose.

"Does it look pretty?" she asked quietly. Some hidden hope slipped into her voice.

"Of course it does. _You're_ very pretty. Your hair just shows that off," I reassured her.

"Can I see?" she asked timidly. I picked up the hand mirror on the table and held it up in front of her face. She seemed mesmerized by the image. "My eyes are green," I heard her whisper. She broke out into a sudden smile.

"Your eyes are beautiful," I told her. She blushed and looked down. "Let's go." I aided her in standing and then offered my arm for support when we exited onto the street.

Yelena

Fortunately the walk into town didn't take too long. Even though I had my walking stick as an aid, I still had difficulty walking, and it would make me feel even more embarrassed if Valek had to help me walk like a small child. I felt bad enough that I was dragging him to the market with me, even though he had offered. I'd feel even worse if he had to help me walk too. I wasn't that much of an invalid.

But even though I managed to walk to the market without any accidents, Valek still remained glued to my side. And, with the quick glances he kept sending me every couple of minutes, I suspected that he was expecting me to fall any second. Which wasn't helping what little confidence I had in myself.

I was surprised how crowded the market was. It had always been crowded, but I'd never remembered seeing it like this before. The place was literally packed. It wasn't until we had walked around the tents that we realized it was the hot season's celebrations.

We quickly weaved our way around the worst of the crowds, as we continued to look around the rest of the tents. The first we stopped at was the fabric tent, even though I couldn't sew, I still liked to admire the different fabrics, the vast variety of colors and the exquisite detail of needlework and embroidery.

Another tent had hundreds of carved stones and rocks laid out on the tables outside. The sun reflected off them, making them look like beautiful jewels.

… Walking into the tent caught my breath away. It was even more beautiful than the outside. Hundreds more carved stones were scattered everywhere, in a vast array of color and shine. It took me a moment to realize Valek wasn't standing beside me, and I let out a sigh of relief. As much as I appreciated everything he had done for me so far, and his concern for my safety, him standing so close to me and constantly watching my every move was starting to grate on my nerves. So it felt nice to be free from him, even for a few minutes.

I returned my attention back to the beautiful stones as I circled the tent again. I knew that I could circle this tent all day, and still find something new and amazing each time. They had even lit the tent with lanterns, which made the stones glow and sparkle, despite being in a dark tent.

A carving on the shelf above me caught my eye. It was circular and tall, with a dragon carved into it, but if that wasn't beautiful enough, a candle was lit inside it, causing the dragon to glow, like it truly was breathing fire.

I felt a presence behind me, and turned to see Valek behind me. I wondered for a moment where he had gone, but I quickly shook it off, knowing better to pry. I was thankful that he had left me alone for a little while, so I definitely wasn't going to question him about it. Not that it was my place to, to start with.

He gestured to the exit with his hand, "You ready?"

The dress tent was exactly how I had imagined. The whole tent was full of beautiful dresses, all hand embroidered with beads and sequins. A dark blue one immediately caught my eye, and I walked over to it as quickly as possible, as if I was afraid it would disappear any second.

I reached out my hand gingerly and stroked the fabric through my fingers, examining each little detail close up before letting it slide through my fingers like the softest silk. I had never seen a dress as beautiful as this. It looked even better close up, where each…

"Excuse me, ma'am." Valek said. I quickly turned around to see him talking to the shop assistant. I frowned at him. "Could we buy this dress please?"

My eyes very nearly bulged out of their sockets. He couldn't be serious? This dress is far too expensive. But, despite the knowledge that he was going much too far, excitement flooded through me at the thought of owning and wearing this beautiful dress.

"Of course." She smiled pleasantly at him before turning to me. "Would you like to try it on dear?"

I nodded my head weakly. If he was insistent on buying it, I'd at least make sure he wasn't wasting his money on something I couldn't wear.

She pulled it off the rail and handed it to me. She pointed to the back of the tent, where two changing rooms were set up, each with a rich red fabric curtain for privacy. "If you have any problems, let me know." She smiled before moving to help the two young women who had just entered the tent.

Valek started to follow me as I walked to the back of the tent, where she had directed us. And I started to panic. He wasn't thinking of watching me change, was he? But my worries quickly ceased when he drew the curtain back and gestured for me to go inside, before pulling it back to cover me.

I sighed in relief, and hung the dress up on the hook provided, while I fumbled with my clothes. Fortunately there was a small chair in the corner, so I sat on that while I removed my shirt since I couldn't balance without my walking stick.

But my skirt was another story. I had to raise my hips to be able to slide it off, but I couldn't hold my body up long enough. Soon my crippled arms trembled under my weight and forced me back down again. It took three attempts before I realized there was no way I could physically do it.

But I still refused to ask Valek for help. Apart from the undergarments around my chest, I was practically half naked, and there was no way I could let another man see me like that. Reaching out for my walking stick, I curled my crooked fingers round the smooth wood. Using my stick as leverage, I managed to pull myself up from the small seat on my second attempt.

But I still remained close to the chair in case I needed it. I'd much rather collapse onto the soft chair than the hard ground. Balancing my weight precariously on the stick, I grasped the waist band of my skirt and, luckily it was too big for me, as it slid down over my hips and down my bent legs with little encouragement.

I grasped the stick with both hands as I gingerly stepped out of the garment. Now came the hard part. Putting the dress on. I let go of the walking stick with one hand, and reached out for the dress. The dress was just out of the reach, so I took a slow step forwards, but my foot caught on the fabric of the clothes I had just taken off, causing me to topple backwards onto the chair. In my shock, the walking stick slipped out of my fingers and fell loudly against the chair before falling to the ground.

"Yelena? Are you okay in there?" I heard Valek's worried voice ask from behind the red curtain, making me jump in surprise.

"I'm fine." I replied, maybe a little too curtly, but I couldn't help it. I was so frustrated at myself for not even being able to dress myself without falling. "Don't come in." I added as an afterthought.

"I'll get some help." Before I could protest, I could hear his footsteps as he walked away.

"Infuriating man," I muttered under my breath. "I don't need help."

"Are you having trouble dear?" I heard the woman ask from behind the curtain. Great, why doesn't he ask the entire market to watch and laugh at my misfortune?

"I'm fine. I don't need help."

"Are you sure? I don't mind, I help most women who come into my shop."

"Fine." I sighed in defeat. "Just don't let him in."

I heard a deep chuckle and I glared at the curtain, even though I knew he couldn't see me. Which I was glad for—I didn't think I'd get away with that one without punishment.

"Of course not dear," I heard her say before the curtain was pulled open slightly. The breath caught in my throat as I watched her step through the gap in the curtain before closing it. I still held my breath as I saw her take in my half naked appearance and my walking stick laying on the floor, waiting for her to laugh. But she didn't. I sighed in relief as she picked up my stick and rested it against the wall, before picking up my discarded clothes and folding them neatly before laying them in the corner of the dressing room.

She picked the dress off the hook before turning back to face me. "Do you think you can stand dear?" she asked me softly.

"I think so." I reached out for my stick and with her help, stood back onto my feet.

I watched as she unzipped the dress and held it out beside my feet.

"If you step into it, I can pull it up over your body."

I looked at her in shock as I thought of it going over my hips. Wouldn't I stretch it?

Seeming to read my thoughts, she said. "Don't worry, with your small frame it will easily go over your hips. This way will be easier for you."

I still didn't feel convinced as I gripped my walking stick tighter in my hands as I cautiously stepped into the dress. Despite her words of comfort, I was worried of damaging this beautiful dress.

She pulled the dress up over my body, before helping me to put my arms through the sleeves. I was worried at first, but she stood patiently as I switched the walking stick into my other hand, and held me gently to keep me from falling again.

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the full length mirror looking at my reflection in shock. The once beautiful dress looked dampened by my crippled body. The soft fabric hung off my body, clearly not belonging there.

"You look beautiful in it dear," I barely heard her over my mused thoughts. I didn't deserve this dress. I was stupid to even bother trying it on. I should have chosen a plain, bland cotton dress. Not this.

"Now let us show that fine man outside how beautiful you look." The words took a while to process in my head, but by then it was too late. She had already pulled the curtain back and Valek's piercing blue gaze was scanning my body slowly, from head to toe and back up again, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

My skin crawled over my crippled bones, and I wanted to pull the curtain around me and stay there forever.

But instead of ripping the dress off me and punishing me for attempting to wear a beautiful cloth that clearly wasn't meant for me, he simply smiled widely and turned to the woman.

"We'll take it."

The walk back to the house was in awkward silence. I refused to talk to him after wasting so much money on a dress that should have belonged to another woman. A prettier, perfect woman. Not me. A crippled beggar. An abandoned wife who wasn't good enough for her husband. This was all Cahil's fault. For robbing me of a normal shape and the ability to move around. For taking away my dreams.

Valek didn't seem to see it like that though, even though it was plainly obvious the dress didn't suit me. And I was worried that he was planning a punishment for me later.

Maybe that had been his plan all along, to make me trust him before he took it away. It was probably all a game to him. I shivered at the thought. Why was I always so naïve and trusting. I should have learnt after Cahil that all men are the same.

It wasn't long before exhaustion poured over me, and my walking slowed and faltered. I stumbled a few times, making Valek reach out and steady me. His touch sending shivers down my spine. Why was he being so nice to me? There has to be some kind of ulterior motive.

As soon as I awoke, bright light stabbed at my eyes, causing as a sharp pain to shoot through my pounding skull. Groaning in pain, I reached up to rub the sleep out of my eyes with the back of my hand, as the memories of yesterday came flooding back to me.

I groaned again, this time in annoyance rather than pain. I still couldn't believe he had brought that dress for me. I didn't deserve to wear something as beautiful as that, and no way was my body good enough to be seen in it. I'd be a joke.

Groaning, I moved to sit up, hoping I could persuade him to returning it. But looking around the room, I couldn't see him anywhere. I sighed in relief at his disappearance, hoping he'd be gone for a while so I could get some privacy for once.

After managing to sit upright, I slumped back against the headboard, exhaustion from the trip to the market still catching up with me. As I looked back towards the door, something on the bedside table caught my eye.

A beautiful statue of a valmur. Beautifully carved out of black rock, silver specks glistened in the sun like stars in the night sky. Reaching my hand out, it felt delightfully cold against my warm skin.

I looked at it in confusion as I turned in around in my hands. It was one of the statues from the rock tent. What was it doing here? Then it dawned on me.

This why he didn't come into the tent; he was buying this for me. I felt angry at him for wasting all his money on me, before I stopped myself. How could I be angry at him after he's already done so much for me.

* * *

Please review, We love to know what you think of it =D


End file.
